Stanikzai said people back home expecting the team to do well after their recent success against Bangladesh in the T20 series in Dehradun.

"The two experienced players - [Mohammad] Nabi and Rashid [Khan] - I'm sure they're going to be able to adjust themselves. Every team feels they are much better, but on that given day it is important what your mindset is and how you handle pressure", he said. We've prepared for [Ravichandran] Ashwin, we've prepared for [Ravindra] Jadeja and Kuldeep [Yadav]. Fortunately for us, three of our fast bowlers were not in the T20 squad so they have been concentrating on what they had to do.

"When I played with them (Afghanistan) in Ireland, it was a little more greener than this and it still turned", he said.

"We are not feeling nervous", he told a news conference on Wednesday. But at the same time, we look at it as win the Test match we beat India, we don't beat Virat. Simmons reckoned there's a bit of disappointment amongst the Afghanistan players for missing the chance of going up against one of the current best cricketers in the world, but also brings a "little bit of happiness". "We are happy to be here and playing India, Virat is not India". Rashid Khan, Mujeeb-Ur Rahman will lead the Afghan bowling unit.

"My captain knows what he's talking about. We have succeeded in our plans and we will look play this Test the same way". We know that right now, Rashid is the most hard spinner to play around.

The 30-year-old batsman said his team mates would need to adapt to Test cricket after playing in the Indian Premier League Twenty20 competition over the last two months. That's the only thing that you can really prepare.

"The mental part comes from the way you train, how long you bat and how long you bowl and train in the nets". As the captain said, they've played four-day cricket so they have a fair idea but I think it's a bit easier said than done.